Some neurological observations on Leonardo da Vinci's handwriting.

The present study concerns neuropsychological aspects of the handwriting of Leonardo da Vinci. The evidence for Leonardo's left handedness is considered, and a critical appraisal of his mirror writing and its underlying mechanism is presented. The relationship between Leonardo's sinistrality, mirror writing and certain aspects of localisation of cerebral function are discussed. From these considerations and from new evidence obtained from contemporary historical sources, it is proposed that Leonardo's language skills were lateralised to the more unusual right hemisphere.